Undercurrent sea-motor.



J. W. MASTER.

UNDERC-URRENT SEA MOTOR.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 1e, 1911.

1,015,627. i Y Patented eIa11.23f, 1912.

lll/Il WITNESSES.-

Unrrnn STATES PATENT onnrcn.

J'AIVIES W. MASTER, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIG-NOR 0F ONE-THIRD T0SOLON BRYAN, 0F SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led June 1G, 1911. Serial No. 633,541.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. MASTER, a citizen* of the United States,residing at San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State ofCalifornia, have invented an 'Improvement in Undercurrent Sea-Motors, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention has relation to undercurrent sea motors, its purposesbeing 'the provision of novel and efficient mechanism having the severalfeatures and advantages herein specified, for transforming and utilizingthe power of the undercurrents of the sea, created by the waves ands-urf, in the generation of power. In attaining these objects, theinvention is more particularly directed to that class of sea motors inwhich a pluralityr or battery of turbine wheels are employed to actuatea single power shaft, the invention comprising an upper vand a lowerinclined platform with turbine wheels rotatably mounted therebetween,means for directing to and confining the waves and surf upon the upperplatform, means for directing the same upon the wheel blades, andvertical shafts suitably arranged with gear-wheels, to transmit themotion of the turbine wheels to the power shaft, my invention comprisingthe combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereindescribed and claimed, and of which a convenient embodiment is showninthe accompanying drawings.

While simple and efficient means are herein provided for accomplishingthe objects of the invention, and the elements shown and described arewell adapted to serve the purposes for which they are intended, itis tobe understood that no limitations are made to the precise structural.details herein exhibited, but that changes, alterations, andmodifications, which are within the spirit and scope of the invention,may be made, the essence of my invention comprising the means forconfining and directing the waves and surf to the Aupper end of twoinclined platforms, and the utilization thereof to actuate turbinewheels rotatably mounted between the two platforms.

Of the drawing, disclosing in perspective the disposition of parts,platform 1, supported by side-frames 2 and a series of uprights 3between the sides, is provided with bearing standards 4, carrying powershaft 5, and has thereon electric generator 6, driven by belt 7 passingover a heavy driving wheel 8, which maintains a uniform and continuousmotion of the power shaft..

For controlling the sea current, hereinafter referred to as theoperating or flowing medium, lower confining wall 9, inclined relativelyto the sea-level, and superposed wall 10, parallel with wall 9, having aseries of casings 12 supported by uprights 3 and braces 11, and lowerwall 9 having a series of supplementary platforms 13 comprising sectionsof lesser inclination, form a series of successive chambers -so arrangedas to direct the How of a medium from the lower part of one chamber tothe upper part 0f the next successive chamber and against 'workingmembers therein above the horizontal plane of their axial centers.Confining walls 9 and l0 are'inclined relatively to the sea level withrear ends uppermost, rear end 14, of wall 9, extending in an upwardcurve to cause the ret-urn flow of the operating medium between saidwalls. Swinging flap 15 allows the egress of the flowing medium andprevents a return flow thereof. Wall 10 is arranged in spaced sectionssupported by retaining side walls 16- which direct the flow of themedium thereon,V said sections with platforms 13, forming chambers 17,within which working members 18 are rotatably mounted, Said workingmembers having curved blades 19, formed integrally and adapted toreceive the impact of the flowing medium which passes consecutively fromone chamber to another, the direction of flow being from the rear andupper end of wall 9, through the successive chambers to the point ofegress. Means for transmitting motion from the working members to thepower shaft, are provided, comprising vertical Shafts 20, having gears21, in mesh with gears 22, on shafts 23 of the working members, andgears 24, independently revoluble upon the vert-ical shafts and drivenby ratchet mechanism 25, gears 24 being in mesh with fixed gears 26, onthe power shaft, and idler gears 27, which are independently revolubleupon the power shaft. Shafts 20, operated by the working members, areindependently revoluble relatively to the power shaft, the ratchetmechanism 25, being inoperative to drive gears 24 which rotate in unisonwith the power shaft, during the Vslower or inter- Patented Jan. 23,1912.

mittent motion of shafts 20, the arrangement comprising means forrendering the working members relatively inoperative to the power shaftand generating appliances affected thereby, during the slower or minimummovement of the working members.

The device is preferably made of sheetmetal and is provided with wheels28, which engage with track-rails 29, of which there may be a suitablenumber. IVheels 30 engage with the underside of the flange on each sideof rails 29, and assist in retaining the device upon the track. Wheels28 and 30.are rotatably secured underneath wall 9 and retaining walls16, and thus support the device in position and retain the same upon thetrack rails, of which one rail is shown in the drawing. Each rail issecured to concrete flooring 31, which is of su'l'licient area to coverthe location of the device. The

track extends upon the shore, and the motor 'may thus be drawn out ofthe water, if so desired for facilitating repairing and the like. Themotor is to be blocked against a backward and forward movement, after itis placed in position, by means not shown in the drawing. Various meansmay be'employed for thus blocking, anchoring, and securing the motor inposition.

In use this device is to be placed near the shore and submerged to adepth sufficient to obtain the best results. The working members whichare rotatable turbine wheels having'blades of sufficient amplitude tosuccessfully utilize the full volume of the flowing medium, may consistof as many as can be operated in undercurrent at the shore. Thesuperposed and inclined wall, in addition to increasing the power of theundercurrent, alsoV protects the same from counter-currents on thesurface of the sea, and forces the advancing seas to form breakers whichroll upward and to the rear of the device, a vast volume of water beingthus made to flow in a return direction and between the inclined walls,comprising, in a constant and nearly uniform manner, an actuating mediumfor the working members, the powerful and continuous undercurrent of thesea being thus utilized in the development of power.

While the current is continuous and uniform, compared with othermovements of the sea, means are provided for rendering the workingmembers and transmitting shafts relatively inoperative to the powergenerating appliances during the slower and intermittent movement of theworking members. Should the opening at the rear be insuiicient to admitall of the seas to the passage between the inclined walls, spaces areprovided between adjacent sections of the superposed wall to receive theremaining portion of the receding seas and breakers.

It will be seen that I have provided a dethe distance traversed by thevice of simple design that may be easily and cheaply constructed for thepurpose, and that may consist of a single unit, or a number of suchunits connected and arranged in a suitable manner for the development ofpower.

The arrangement of the mechanism does not interfere with the movement ofthe seas to the-rear of the motor, and they are thus free to run highand fill the space at the rear formed by the retaining side walls andcurved end wall, which acts as a reservoir toa retain the accumulatedwater until all is finally delivered through the passages and chambersbetween the inclined walls. The

weight of many tons of water may thus be utilized to increase thepressure or head of the undercurrent and increase the velocity thereof,and more efficiently operate the moving parts of the device, and thedistribution of the water as an actuating medium is vmore evenlyeifected for the development of power. A

I claim as my invention:

1. In an undercurrent sea motor, the combination with two inclinedwalls, one of which is superposed above the other, of retaining sidewalls to direct the flow of a medium upon the superposed wall, anupwardly-extending curved end integral with the lower inclined wall tocause the return `iow of the medium between the inclined walls, androtatably-mounted members between the inclined walls arranged to beoperated by the flow of the medium, substantiallyV as set forth.

2. In an undercurrent sea motor, the combination with an inclined walland a superposed similarly inclined wall having a series of chambersformed between said walls, of a rotatably-mounted member in eachchamber, anda series of curved blades integral with each of saidrotatable members, having their extended edges in close proximity to thesaid inclined walls to receive the flow of the medium, substantially asset forth.

3. In an undercurrent sea motor, the combination with 'two inclinedwalls one of which is superposed above the other, of rotatable membersmountedy between said inclined walls, of curved casing beneath thesuperposed lwall in close proximity to the rotatable members, andsupplementary platforms upon the lower inclined wall having a lesserangle of inclination for directing the flow of a medium upon saidrotatable members above the horizontal plane of their axes,substantially as set forth.

l. In an undercurrent sea motor, the combination with a lower inclinedwall having a series of vsupplementary platforms of lesser inclination,of a sectional vand superposed inclined wall, a curved casing on theunderside of each section forming with the lower inclined wall a serieslof chambers, a rotatable member in each chamber, and a vseries ofuprights and braces supporting the superposed sections in anapproximately parallel position with the lower inclined wall and with aspace between adjacent sections, to direct the flow of a medium uponsaid rotatable members, substantially as set forth.

5. In an undercurrent seamotor, the `combination with inclined Wallsforming a series of chambers arranged to extend transversely of theplane of inclination and with communicating passages between consecutivechambers, of confining side walls and an upwardly curved end wall todirect the flow of a medium upon and between the inclined walls, and arotatable member in each chamber, the chambers being arranged to utilizethe flow of the medium from each chamber to actuate the rotatable memberin` t-he next successive and lower chamber, substantially as set forth.

6. In an undercurrent seamotor, the combination with conning wallshaving a series of chambers formed therein, of a series of rotatablemembers, one mounted in each of said chambers with its axis in ahorizontal position, and actuated by a flowing medium, vertical shaftsrotatably mounted and actuated by said members in said chambers, and arotatably-mounted power shaft actuated by said vertical shafts, thepower shaft being transversely positioned with the rotatable membersactuated by the flow of a medium, substantially as set forth.

7 In an undercurrent sea motor, the combination with inclined and sideretaining walls having a series of chambers formed between the inclinedwalls, of rotatable members mounted on horizontal shafts within saidchambers, a gear wheel mounted on said horizontal shafts, verticalrotatable shafts, pinions thereon meshing with the gear wheels, and apower shaft rotatably mounted in a horizontal position and adapted to'beactuated by the vertical shafts, upon the flow of a medium against therotatable members in said chambers, substantially as set forth.

8. In an undercurrent sea motor, the combination with rotatable membersactuated by a flowing medium, of vertical shafts operated by saidrotatable members, a power shaft at the upper ends of said verticalshafts rotatably mounted, a large gear wheel at said upper ends of thevertical shafts revolving on a dissident axis, a ratchet mechanism toactuate the gear in unison with its shaft, and pinions on the powershaft meshing with the gear wheel, one being fixed thereon, the otherbeing an idler pinion revolving in an independent ndhopposi'te circuit,substantially as set 'ort shaft, a large balance wheel thereon, and

means for transmitting motion from the working members'to the powershaft, substantially as set forth.

' 10. In an undercurrent sea motor, the combination with confining wallshaving a plurality of chambers, of working members in said chambers, aplatform, a frame and uprights extending from the confining walls andsupporting the platform, generating appliances mounted on the platform,a balance wheel for maintaining a uniform and continuous movement to thegenerating appliances, means for transmitting motion from. thev workingmembers to the generating appliances, and means for rendering thetransmitting means relatively inoperative to the generating appliancesduring the slower or intermittent movement ofthe working members,substantially as set forth.

11. In an undercurrent sea motor, the combination with working membersactuated by a flowing medium, of an inclined lower wall, steppedsections to direct the flowing medium upon the working members, asuperposed sectional wall to correspond with the lower wall and paralleltherewith, the confining walls inclined with the rear end uppermost,retaining side walls to direct the flowing medium upon the superposedwall and to the rear thereof, an upwardly curved extension on the lowerwall at the rear end, to cause the return flow of the medium betweensaid inclined walls, and a swinging flap at the front end of thesuperposed wall, arranged to allow the egress of the flowing medium andprevent a return motion of the same, substantially as set forth.

12. In an undercurrent sea motor, the combination with power generatingappliances and working members having means for operating the generatingappliances, of an inclined wall, a superposed wall parallel with theinclined wall, high retaining side walls and an end wall curved upwardand extending from the lower inclined wall and arranged to form withsaid side walls a reservoir at the rear and secure a more uniformdistribution and complete utilization of a flowing medium to and by saidworking members between said inclinedwalls, substantially as set forth.

13. In an undercurrent sea motor, a platform, generating appliancesthereon, working members operating the generating appliances paralleland inclined walls confining the current to the working members, andside and end retaining walls which form a reservoir at the upper andrear end of the inclined walls, whereby a flowing medium is retaineduntil delivered to the working members between said inclined walls, sub#stantially as set forth.

14. In an undercurrent sea motor, power generating appliances, working`members actuated by a flowing medium, means for transmitting motionfrom the working members to the power generating applil ances, coniiningwalls directing the flowing medium -to the working members, and meansattached to the confining Walls to hold the contained operatingmechanism in an operative position relative to the flowing medium,comprising bearing wheels supporting the device upon a flangedmultiplerailed track, and retaining wheels arranged to bear on theundersidel of the flanges on each rail, substantially as set forth.

15. In a device as described a multiplerailed and flanged track,concrete foundations supporting the rails, a frame and retaining wallssupporting power generating mechanism therein, and means for retainingthe said power generating mechanism in an operative position relativelyto a lowing medium, comprising bearing and retaining wheels which engagewith said track, rotatively secured to the bottom of the confining andretaining walls, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof, I aliiX my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES W. MASTER.

Witnesses:

F. M. KEENEY, W. A. SHEA.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner cf Patents. Washington, D. G.

